Nipple-shield.



E. P. THIERINGERL NIPPLE SHIELD.

APPLIOATION IILED MAY 27, 1911.

Patented July 16, 1912.

EMMA PAULINE 'II-IIERINGER, OF NIEHV YORK, N. Y.

NIPPLE-SHIELD.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMA PAULINE THIERINGER, a citizen of the Empire of Germany, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nipple-Shields, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to nursing devices, and more particularly to breast shields, designed for the protection of mothers breasts during the act of suckling. This protection is especially desirable for mothers suffering from sore, cracked, or otherwise affected breasts.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple device for this purpose, which will be easy to keep in a clean and sanitary condition, and which will be so formed as to promote the flow of milk and also to enable the mother to nurse her child conveniently when in a reclining position.

Further objects are to provide the spout or neck of the shield or other device with an integral rim for the attachment of a rubber nipple, which rim may also constitute a guard, and with an integral means for affording internal support to the base of the rubber nipple, so as to guard against collapsing of the same.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the parts, improve ments and combinations more fully pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings, accompanying the specification: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device with an ordinary rubber nipple attached; Fig. 2 is a front view; and Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section.

The shield comprises a concave base part 10, and a spout or neck 11 projecting for ward therefrom. Preferably, these parts with all their appurtenances, with the exception of the ordinary attachable and do tachable rubber nipple 15, are formed in one piece. The device is entirely open, has no joints or pockets, and is, therefore, perfectly easy to keep clean. This feature in a device of this character is of peculiar importance. The part 10 is in the nature of a concave and widely-flaring bell-mouth. The portion 11 is curved or inclined at an angle to the axis of the bellmouth. The curvature or inclination is such that the milk drawn from the nipple of the mother Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 27, 1911.

Patented July 16, 1912. Serial No. 629,825.

is led directly away and downward to the rubber nipple, where the child obtains it by the act of. suction. The neck or spout flares widely from its anterior portion to the part 10. The part 10 is of comparatively large diameter and is concaved soas to cover a considerable portion of the breast, conformmg to a region comparatively remote from the nipple. In connection with the spout it is so deeply and widely hollowed as to clear the nipple and its immediate vicinity, thus relieving these parts of. all pressure, and enabling the nipple to be drawn freely forward into the spout by suction.

An integralguard flange 12 is formed on the end of the spout or neck. This flange is preferably of suflicient width to prevent the child from taking the neck bodily into its mouth. It serves as a retaining rim for the usual attachable and detachable rubber nipple 15. The spout is curved continuously from its junction with the base 10, and the flange or rim 12 is presented at an angular relation to the base. The neck is further provided with an extension 14:, projecting in advance of this rim 12. This extension is received within the base of the rubber nipple, so as to guard against collapsing thereof.

In use, the mother applies the shield to her breast. An ordinary rubber nipple be ing attached over the rim 12, the child obtains its food as if from a bottle. The widely-fiaring part 10 forms, under suction, a tight seal with the breast. The breast, or a considerable portion thereof, is perfectly shielded, and the nipple and its surrounding region are not subjected to pressure of any kind. Since the nipple and its surrounding region are entirely free, the nipple is drawn freely forward into the neck by suction, thus promoting the flow of milk. The bending or curvature of the spout causes the milk to run downward to the rubber nipple, without collecting in the device or about the breast. lVhen the mother is in a reclining posture, the inclination enables nursing to be accomplished without inconvenience either to the mother or the child.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A. one-piece rigid breast shield, having a widely-flaring, concave base formed to fit over a considerable portion of the breast while leaving the nipple free, and a f r ward-projecting tapering neck or spout pro Vided near its end with a rim for the attachment of an ordinary rubber nipple, said spout being Wide at the region of its junction with the base and. tapering and being continuously inclined from said junction to said rim so as to be inclined downwardly when in use, the latter being presented atan angular relation to the base, the base and the wide portion of the spout together forming a chamber in which the nipple and its surrounding region are free, whereby the nipple is drawn forward freely into the spout by suction and the feeding of milk is promoted.

2. A one-piece breast shield with a Widelyflaring broad base adapted to cover a portion of the breast and leave the nipple free, and a curved tapering neck portion of gradually diminishing cross section extending therefrom, said neck carrying a rim and extension for receiving an ordinary flexible nipple and being curved continuously from its junction with the base to said rim and said rim being presented at an angular relation to the base.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMMA PAULINE TI-IIER-INGER.

lVitnesses BEATRICE MIRVIS, E. P. Juno.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

